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Knee Implant Designed for Women

James Stiehl, M.D., Orthopaedic Surgeon, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: June 1, 2007

Nearly two-thirds of the more than 400,000 annual knee replacement patients are women. But until recently, women had to use knee implants designed for men. All of that is changing for Milwaukee-area women as Columbia St. Mary’s is now offering a knee replacement implant device that is tailored to the unique features of a woman’s anatomy.

Mounting research indicates that a woman’s knee is not simply a smaller version of a man’s knee. The differences involve the bones, ligaments and tendons in the joints. Women can wear men’s clothing and shoes, but most prefer clothing and shoes made for them. That’s because women are shaped differently than men. It’s the same with knees, and it makes perfect sense to design knee implants with women in mind, particularly considering that women are by far the majority of the knee replacement patient population.

Historically, implants used for knee replacement have been designed based upon an average between the size of women’s and men’s knees. When placing traditional implants, some surgeons accommodate women’s differences by removing more bone or repositioning the implant during surgery, but their ability to make the implant precisely conform to the patient is limited.

Even though most women are happy with their results after joint replacement, some still have residual pain in the front of the knee around the kneecap, or say their artificial knee just doesn’t feel or move the way their own knee did when it was healthy. Knee implants have been functioning very well for men and women, but we want to meet women’s unique needs by making knee replacements that feel, fit and function even better.

The bone in the front of a woman’s knee is typically less prominent than in a man’s. Traditional implants have a thickness in front that may end up feeling “bulky,” which may result in pain and decreased function. The new implant has a thinner profile to accommodate this anatomical difference between women and men.

Additionally, the newer implant has a contoured shape to more closely match the narrower anatomy of a woman’s knee. This contouring provides more precise fit and may prevent the implant from overhanging the bone and potentially pressing on or damaging surrounding ligaments and tendons.

Total knee replacement is a highly successful surgery, strongly supported by more than 20 years of follow-up data, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus statement on total knee replacement released in February 2004. The NIH consensus panel concluded that total knee replacement provides substantial improvement in patients’ pain, functional status, and overall quality of life in about 9 out of 10 patients.

Less invasive procedures are helping patients get back to enjoying their lives faster than ever before. Now that we have a knee shaped to fit women’s anatomy, we expect far more women will want to consider knee replacement.

James Stiehl, M.D.
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Columbia St. Mary’s
414-326-1745

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